Computing price-scale.



(Ila Model.)

E. F. SPAULDING.

Patantod Nov. 5, l90l.

COMPUTING PRICE SCALE.

(Applieuion Med Feb. 27, 1901.)

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No. 685,878. Patented Nov. 5, 190i. E. F. SPAULDING.

COMPUTING PRICE SCALE.

(Application mm Feb. 27, 1901.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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Patented Nov. 5. l90l. E. F. SPAULDING. COMPUTING PRICE SOALE(Application filed Feb. 27, 1901?) 4 Sheeta-Shoo t "3.

(lo Ilodol.)

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ATTORNEY No. 685,878. Patented Nov. 5, IBM.

E. F. SPAULIJING.

COMPUTING PRICE SCALE.

(Application filed Feb. 27, 1901.) (lo llodol.) 4 Sheots-Sheot 4.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELlJAl-I F. SPAULDTNG, OF ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

COMPUTING PRICE-SCALE.

SEEGIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 68 5,878, datedNovember 5, 1901. Application filed February 27, 1901. Serial No.49,080. (No model.)

T on whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELIJAH F. SPAULDING, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Arlington, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inComputing Price-Scales, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in computing price-scales; and itconsists in the novel features and combinations of parts hereinafterdescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed descriptionhereinafter presen ted, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings,in which- Figural is a front elevation'of a computing price scaleconstructed in accordance with and embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is asectional view of same on the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aVertical longitudinal section through a portion of same to illustratethe interior mechanism intermediate the weight-poise and the shafts forthe hands or pointers of the indicating or dial mechanism, the sectionbeing through the casing which incloses said mechanism. Fig. 4 is adetached side elevation of the said mechanism intermediate theweight-poise and the shafts of the indicating or dial mechanism, I saidintermediate mechanism,with the weightpoise, being shown in their 0position and the front plate of the casing inclosing said intermediatemechanism being omitted. Fig. 5 is a detached top view of a pivotedleverbar constituting a part of the invention and which is comprised inthe aforesaid intermediate mechanism between the weight-poise and theshafts of the indicating or dial mechanism. Fig. 6 is an enlargeddetached front elevation, partly broken away, of the weightpoiseand theconnections whereby the movement of the said poise is caused to betransmitted to the aforesaid intermediate mechanism. Fig. 7 is avertical section of same onthe dotted line 7 7 of Fig. 6, the partsconstituting the connection between the weightpoise and the saidintermediate mechanism being shown in end elevation. Fig. 8 is anenlarged front view of a portion of the scale, this view being presentedto clearly illustrate the rate scale-plate; and Fig. 9 is an enlargeddetached top view of a bifurcated frame or dog which affords thepointers for the upper edge of the rate scale-plates.

In the drawings I have illustrated the parts composing the presentinvention as being connected with usual weighing mechanism, representedby the Weight-beam 15, weightpoise 16, tare-beam 17, tare-poise 18,counterpoise 19, suspended from the longer arm of the weight-beam 15,platform to receive the material to be weighed, and suitable usualintermediate connections between said platform and the short arm of theweight-beam 15, the latter being pivotally mounted, as usual, and all ofsaid parts being of usual and known construction, and thereforerequiring no special explanation.

The parts comprising the present invention are disposed in the presentinstance above the weight-beam 15, and upon reference to the drawings itwill be observed that the sides 21 21 of the scale-frame support attheir upper ends the casing 22, which is hollow and extends from side toside of the scale structure and is adapted to be closedby a suitablefront plate 23, to be fastened in position by means of screws 2t, asshown in Fig. 1. The hollow casing 22 is shown as to its interior formin Figs. 3 311C143 and in Fig. 3 it willbe observed that an elongatedslot 25 is formed in the top of said casing 22 and that a similar slot26 is formed in the bottom of the said casing 22. Upon the fioor27 ofthechamber 28, formed by the casing 22, is applied a slidebar 29, which isadapted to be moved longitudinally along said floor 27 and is formed atone end with the bracket 30, carrying the roller 31, while at itsotherend said slide-bar 29 extends downward through the slot 26 and hassecured to its lower portion the bracket 32, which, as shown in Figs. 2and 7, extends frontward and has pivotally secured to it by means of thescrews or pins 33 33 the arms 34 3t, which'correspond with one anotherand are normally kept closed together at their lower portions by meansof the spring 35. (Shown more clearly in Fig. 6.) The arms 3t 3% areprovided with thumb-pieces or handles 36 36, by means of which the upperportions of said arms 3% 34 maybe conveniently pressed toward oneanother and against the stop 37, formed on the bracket 32. The lowerends of the arms 34: have at their outer sides the small rounded lugs38, Figs. 6 and 7, which are centrally disposed between vertical flanges39 39, carried by the weight-poise 16, the horizontal central line ofsaid lugs 38 being on a line with the upper edge of the weight-beam 15.The arms34=34constitute the connecting means intermediate theweightpoise 16 and the bracket 32, connected with and carried by theslide-bar 29. The slide-bar 29 and weight-poise 16 always preserve auniform relation to one another, and hence the said bar and the saidpoise move together. The movement of the poise 16 and bar 29 is effectedby the operator, who will when it is desired to move said poise graspthe handles 36 of the arms 34 between the thumb and forefinger and movethe poise 16 and bar 29 in either direction at will. The grasping of thehandles 36 of the arms 34: will cause the upper ends of said arms toclose toward the stop 37 and move the lower ends of said arms outwardfrom one another to a limited extent, just sufficient to cause the outeredges of the lugs 38 to all but press into contact with the facingsurfaces of the flanges 39 011 the poise 16, and then the operator bypressing in one direction or the other, as desired, against the arms 34will move the poise 16 and sliding bar 29 at will. Vhen the operator hasmoved the poise 16 and sliding bar29 to the desired position, he willrelease his hand from the arms 34; 34 and allow the spring 35 to closethe lower ends of the said arms 3% 34: together, whereby the outer edgesof the lugs 38 become sufficiently relieved from the flanges 39 on thepoise 16 to permitof the proper tilting motion of the weight-beam 15without such action being interfered with by the said arms 3-1:. Thepivoted arms 31 31alford a connecting means intermediate theweight-poise 16 and slide-bar 29, (without interfering with the tiltingaction of the weight-beam 15,) by which the operator may byv hand movesaid weight-poise 16 and slide-bar 29 in a uniform manner with respectto one another. The slide-bar 29 is guided in its movement by the factthat at its end opposite to the roller 3t it extends downward throughthe slot 26, and it is obvious that the portion of said slide-bar 29which projects downward through the slot 26 will prevent lateral play insaid bar 29.

\Vithin the chamber 28 is pivotally mounted the actuating lever-bar 40,said lever-bar 40 being at its right-hand end secured upon a pivot screwor pin -it1 and against the face of a boss 42, which is formed on theinner vertical rear wall of the casing 22, as more clearly illustratedin Fig. 2. Upon the side of the lever-bar 40 is rigidly secured the bar43, which constitutes a tramway for the vertical rack-bar 44:, by whichthe hands of the indicator mechanism are actuated. The tram waybart3 isrigidly secured at both ends and has no movement, except with thelever-bar 40. The rack-bar at will be referred to more particularlyhereinafter; but at this point it may be observed that said bar atextends downward at the side of the lever-bar 1-0 and is provided at itslower end with a roller 45, which is adapted to travel upon the saidtramway-bar 4-3, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. The vertical rack-bar4t receives its move ment from the tramway-bar 43, and the latter, whilenormally horizontal, is given a more or less inclined position for thepurpose of actuating the rack-bar ft to a more or less extent from thelever-bar 46, which is pivoted at one end, as aforesaid, and has a moreor less inclined position imparted to it by the roller 31, carried bythe slide-bar 29, when said bar 29 is moved by the operator during themovement of the weight-poise 16 along the weight-beam 15. It will beexplained hereinafter that the indicating-dial mechanism is movablealong the top of the casing 22 in accordance with the price per pound ofthe material to be weighed upon the platform 20; but at this place theoperation of the slide-bar 29, lever-bar etO,-and tramway-bar may belargely understood without reference to the shifting action of theindicating or dial mechanism. The lever-bar 40 has no sliding motion,but only a pivotal motion, and is distinctive in that its lower edge 46is so curved that for uniform motion of the poise 16 the tangent of theangle of inclination of the bar 1-0 will change uniformly. During themovement of the weight-poise 16 the roller 31 travels against the curvededge 46 of the bar 40, and thereby through the said bar 40 effects theproper inclination of the tramway-bar 43 for cooperation with thevertical rack-bar 41-. It will be apparent that if the edge 46 of thelever-bar 10 were simply a plain inclined edge the nearer the roller 31.approached the pivot-point 11 of the said bar 40 the ratio of the upwardmovement of the said bar t0 in comparison to the extent of movement ofthe weight-poise 16 would not be uniform, but would rapidly increase asthe roller 31 approached the right-hand end of the said bar t0, theresult under such circumstances being that the indicating pricemechanism could not be relied upon. In Fig. 4 I illustrate the relativepositions of the lever-bar L0 and slide-bar 29 when the weightpoise isat its 0 position on the beam 15, and when the parts are in thisposition the hands of the indicating-dial will be at 6 and the roller L5at the lower end of the vertical rack-bar at will be in line with thepivotpoint 41 of the lever-bar 40, as shown in Fig. t. When the partsare in their normal 0 position, (shown in Fig. 1,) any tilting movementthat the weight-beam 15 may have imparted to it-as by jarring thescales, for instancewill have no influence upon the indicatingmechanism, since such jarring would not cause any sliding motion of theslide-bar 29, and if it did cause any sliding motion of the slide-bar 29the vertical rack-bar stat would still remain stationary, since itslower end is on the pivotal point 11 for the lever-bar 1-0,

and the right-hand end of the tramway-bar 43 would simply roll on thearc of the roller 45 at the lower end of the said bar 44 withouteffecting any motion in said bar 44.

The indicating mechanism is carried by the cylindrical casing 50, whichin itself as a mechanical structure is not new; but the illdicatingmechanism possesses novelty in respect of the arrangement of theindicatingnumerals on the dial thereof and in respect of its adaptationto be moved along the top of the casing 22 for the purpose of carryingthe actuating vertical rack bar 44 to the proper position along thetramway 43 with relation to the price per pound of the merchandise to beweighed upon the platform 20. The casing will preferably have at bothits front and back a glass protecting plate or disk 51, at the innerside of each of which glass plates will be placed the numeral-bearingdials 52, hereinafter explained, and over which the hands 53 54 willtravel under the influence of the rotary shafts 55 56 therefor. Theshafts 55 56 are set in motion to move the hands 53 54 by means of therack-bar 44 and the gearing shown in Fig. 3 for communicating motionfrom the upper toothed end of said rack-bar 44 to said shafts 55 56.Upon the shaft 56 is provided the pinion-wheel 57 and gear-wheel 58,said pinion 57 being in direct engagement with said rack-bar 44,whilethe gear-wheel 58 is in mesh with the pinion 59, secured on the shaft 55for the hands 53. The movement of the raclnbar 44 will through thepinion 57 rotate the shaft 56 and hands 54, and the motion of the shaft56 will be imparted through the gear-wheel 58 to the pinion-wheel 59 andshaft 55 for the hands 53. I also provide a gear-wheel 60, Fig. 3, whichis in mesh with the pinion-wheel 59 and has connected with it a spring61, which exerts a constant tension to turn the wheel 60, pinion-wheel59, gear-wheel 58, and pinion-wheel 57 in a direction contrary to thatimparted to said gear-wheels by the vertical rack-bar 44, and thepurpose of the gearwheel 60 and spring 61 is to prevent lost motion insaid chain of gearing and insure regularity in travel and position ofthe indicatinghands 53 54. It will be observed that in the presentinstance the hands 53 54 and dials 52 are duplicated at opposite sidesof the casing 50, and this construction is desirable because it permitsof the exposure of the price at both the front and back of the scales;but the invention is not limited to this feature of the construction,since the invention would be fully present if one side of the casing 50were simply a blank and the indicating-dial 52 and hands 53 54 werepresent at the opposite side thereof.

The casing or frame 50 for the indicating mechanism is mounted upon abase or frame 62, which rests and is adapted to be moved uponthe top ofthe casing 22, and the said base or frame 62 is formed with the downwardly-projecting guide 63, Fig. 3, which snugly receives the verticalrack-bar 44 and extends across the slot 25, formed in the top of thesaid casing 22, the said guide 63 thus serving to guide both thevertical rack-bar 44 and the said base or frame 62, carrying theindicating mechanism. WVithin the indicator-casing is provided anadditional guide 64 for the upper portion of the rack-bar 44.

Upon opposite sides of the base or frame 62 for the indicator mechanismare secured by small screws the downwardly-extending plates 65 65, whoselower ends terminate in pointers 66 66, Figs. 1, 2, and 8, and to whoseupper portions are pivotallysecured the arms 67 67 of the bifurcated dog68, having, as shown in Fig. 1,a handle 69,by which said dog 68 may beoperated by hand. The inner ends of the arms 67 of the dog 68 constitutepointers and are of knife-edge form or sharpened, so as to engage thenotches along the upper edge of the rate scale-plates 7O 70, securedupon the front and back of the aforesaid casing 22, as shown in Figs. 1and 2. The rate scale-plates 70 are set out from the front and rearsurfaces of the casing 22, so that the lower parts of the plates 65 65may pass downward to theinner side of the said scale-plates 70 and thatthe pointers 66 at the lower ends of the said plates 65 may turn upwardupon the lower edge of said scale-plates 70, whereby the faces of thesaid plates 70 are left fully exposed to view. I bifurcate the dog 68,so that it may straddle the edge of the casing 22 and'be utilized withthe plates 70 at both the front and rear sides of the said casing 2* butwhen desired only one scale-plate 70 will be employed, and under suchcircumstances it will not be necessary to employa dog 68 having two arms67. The plates 65 serve to guide as well as to maintain the indicatingmechanism on the top of the casing 22, and, as shown in Fig. 2, the saidplates 65 have small inwardly-extending portions or projections whichpass below the laterally-projecting edges of the top of the casing 22,whereby the said plates 65 are enabled to aid in holding theindicating-dial and its mechanism in position down upon the top of thesaid casing 22. The dog 68 at its handle end is provided with atension-spring 71, which serves to press upward on the handle end of thedog 68 and maintain the pointed ends of the said dog in mesh with thenotches or serrations along the upper edge of the rate scale-plates 70.

The rate scale-plates 70 are provided, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, withtwo sets of numerals, one set of numerals being at the upper edge ofsaid plates and the lower set of numerals being at the lower edge ofsaid plates, and the latter being arranged with respect to the markingsthereof to representjust double the amount represented by the numeralsat the upper edge of said platesas, for illustration, the numerals atthe lower edge of the plates 70 denoting sixty cents (60) are below thenumerals 30 at the upper edge of said plates denoting thirty cents, (304The rate scale-plates 7 0 represent the various prices per pound whichmay be charged for the merchandise to be weighed upon the platform 20 ofthe main scales. The arms 67 of the dog 68 are utilized in connectionwith the series of numerals along the upper edges of the plates 70,while the pointers 66 are utilized in connection with the numerals alongthe lower edges of the said plates 70. It is not necessary, as will bedescribed hereinafter, to employ numerals at both the upper and loweredges of the rate-plates 70; but when the numerals are thus employed therate-plates 70 may be of reduced length, and only a limited amount ofmovement will be necessary in the casing 50 along the top of the casing22. I will, however, first describe the mechanism as employing thenumerals at both the upper and lower edges of the rateplates 70 and thenpoint out that one set of said numerals may be omitted, if desired. Thedog 68 is carried by the plates 65, which are rigidly connected with thebase plate or frame 62 of the dial-casing 50,and hence whenever the dogis moved along the rate'plates to the proper point indicating the priceper pound for the material to be weighed the dial-casing 50 and all ofthe mechanism carried thereby, including the base-frame 62, verticalrack-bar ett, and vertical guide 63, are correspondingly moved along thetop of the casing 22. When the pointed ends of the arms 67 of the dog 68are at O of the rate scale-plates 70, the lower end of the Verticalrack-bar 4st for actuating the dial mechanism will be in line with thepivotpoint 41 of the lever-bar40, and at such time the tramway-bar 43will be unable to effect any vertical movement in said rack-bar 44, andconsequently at that time and under such conditions the hands 53 51 ofthe dial mechanism will be at their 0 position. If it be assumed thatsome merchandise is to be weighed upon the platform 20 and that theprice per pound thereof is, say, twenty-one cents, (21 h) the dog willbe elevated from the rate-plate 70 by pressure applied upon the handleor knob 69 of said dog, and thereupon the indicating-dial casing, withits inclosed mechanism, and the said dog 68 will be moved toward theleft until the left-hand end of the said dog is directly over the markdenoting 21 of the rate-plates 70, as shown in Fig. 8, whereupon theoperator will release the knob or handle 69 and allow the pointedleft-hand ends of the dog 68 to descend directly upon the said plates70. This movement toward the left of the indicating-dial casing 50 andits mechanism results in the vertical actuating rack-bar member 44 beingcarried to the left from the pivot-point 41 of the lever-bar 4,0 toabout the position in which said rackbar 14: is shown in Fig. 3, andwhen in such position the rack-bar 44 will be in the correct relation tothe tramway-b21143 to be properly elevated by the latter under theaction of the slide-bar29 when the weight-poise 16 is moved eeaeve dialcasing 50 and its inclosed mechanism are shifted to the proper positionalong the top of the casing 22 to bring the vertical actuating rack-barmember 44: into proper relation to the tramway-bar 43 and lever-bar 40,the weight-poise 16 will be moved along the weight-beam 15 until thebeam 15 becomes balanced by the merchandise on the platform 20, and thismovement of the weight-poise 16 is simultaneous with the movement of theslide-bar 29, and hence while the weightpoise 16 is being moved toposition the roller 31 of the slide-bar 29 is drawn along below thelower edge 46 of the lever-bar 40 and effects the proper movement of thesaid lever-bar 40, tramway-bar 4:3, and vertical rack-bar member 44,with the result that when the weightpoise 16 has reached its finalposition the slide-bar 29 will have moved the lever-bar 40 and rack-bar44: to their final upward position, and said bar 14-, operating throughthe chain of gearing, will have moved the indicatorhands 53 54 to theirfinal position, whereby said hands are caused to denote on the dials 52the total price to be charged for the merchandise weighed upon theplatform 20. The purpose of shifting the dial-casing 50 and rack-bar l-lalong the top of the casing 22 is for the purpose of properly varyingthe relation of the lower end of the said rack-bar 44; to thepivot-point d1 of the lever-bar 40 in accordance with the price perpound to be charged for the merchandise weighed on the platform 20, andthe vertical rack-bar 44 having thus been given its properposition byshifting the dial-casing,

the extent of vertical movement of said rackbar 4% to rotate the hands53 5st will be governed wholly by the position of the weightpoise 16 onthe beam 15 and of the slide-bar 29 below the lever-bar 40. Theindicatingdial casing 50, with the rack-bar 4e, are moved toward theleft or right with each variation in price per pound to be charged forthe merchandise to be weighed, and in every instance the operator willfind it convenient to make use of the dog 68 and rate scaleplates 70 fordefinitely locating the rack-bar 44 in its proper relation to thelever-bar 40 and tramway-bar 13, said dog 68 and rate scale-plates 70affording suitable means for guiding the operator in shifting theindicating-casing 50.

The indicating-dials 52 have, as shown in Fig. 1, two circles or seriesof graduations (numbered 72 73, respectively) for cent denominations andalsotwo series of numerals or graduations (numbered 74 75, respectively)for dollars,and the small hands 5t travel along the graduations 74 75,while the longer hands 53 are double-pointed and travel along thecircles or series of graduations 72 73. In the use of theindicating-dials 52 the attendant will determine the total price to bepaid for the merchandise weighed by reading from one of the smallcircles or series of graduations 74 75 and one of the larger circles orseries of graduations 72 73 in accordance with the conditions. Forillustration, if the price per pound of the merchandise weighed was,say, twenty-one cents and the total weight six pounds the operator woulddetermine by the position of the hand 54 along the inner series ofgraduations 75 and by the position of the hand 53 along the inner seriesof graduations 7 3 that the price for the total weight was one dollarand twenty-six cent-s, since, as will be observed upon reference to Fig.1, the pointer of the hand 53 which is adjacent to the inner circle orgraduations 73 is arrested at the mark denoting 26, while the small hand54 is arrested at a point about one-quarter of the distance between thenumerals l and 2 of theinner circle or graduations 75, the position ofthe said hand 54 denoting that the total price to be charged issomething more than one dollar and the position of the hand 53 along theinner circle 73 denoting just the proper fraction of the dollarrepresented by the advance the small hand 54 has made beyond the numerall. The inner circle of dollar-graduations or numerals 75 extend up tofour dollars, ($4.00,) and the inner circle of graduations 73 extend incents up to one dollar, and hence with every complete revolution of thehand 53 along the series of grad uation-s 73 the hand 54 will movesufficiently to denote one dollar. In view of this condition the hand 53may make four entire revolutions along the series of graduations 73While the small hand 54 is traveling the length of the inner series ofgraduations 75. The upper series of numerals along the rate scaleplatesare intended for coeperative use with the aforesaid inner series orcircle of graduations 73 and inner series of graduations 75, and bypreference the said numerals along the upper edge of the ratescale-plates 70 and the numerals along the said series of graduations 73and will be printed in black or in some other uniform color forconvenience in guiding the operator in properly reading the indicatingmechanism.

The numerals along the lower edge of the rate scale-plates 70 will beutilized in cooperation with the outer series or circle ofcentgraduations 72 and the outer series of dollargraduations 74, and forconvenience the numerals along said series of graduations 72 and 74 andalong the lower edge of the rate scaleplates 70 will be printed in redor other uniform color contrasting with the color of the series ofnumerals or graduations 73 75. If

meral along the lower edge of the rate scaleplates 70 and pay noattention whatever to the numerals along the upper edge of the ratescale-plates 70. It, for instance, the price per pound of themerchandise to be weighed should be forty-two cents, (3.42,) theindicating-dial mechanism 50 will be shifted along the top of the casing22 until the pointers U6 arrive at the marking denoting 42 at the loweredges of the rate scale-plates 70, and thereupon the operator afterplacing the merchandise upon the platform 20 would move the weight-poise16 along its beam 15 to the proper position to indicate the weight ofthe merchandise, and then to determine the total price (two dollars andfifty-two cents) to be charged for the merchandise th us weighed theoperator would look at the position of the hands 53 54 along the outercircles or series of graduations 72 and 74, finding the amount indollars along the series of graduations 74 and the amount in fractionsof a dollar (or cents) along the series of graduations 72, the hands 54pointing out the amount of dollars and the hands 53 denoting that partof the amount represented in fractions of a dollar, or cents. Thus itwill be plain that the inner series of cent-graduations 73 and innerseries of dollar-graduations 75 are employed in connection with theupper series of numerals along the rate scale-plates 70 and that theouter series of cent-graduations 73 and outer series ofdollargraduations 74 are used in connection with the lower series ofnumerals on the rate scaleplates 70. \Vith every half-revolution of thehands 53 along the outer series of numerals 72 the hands 54 will denoteone dollar on the outer series of dollar-graduations 74, which extendfrom zero to eight dollars, ($8.00,) and the hands 53 will make fourcomplete revolutions, while the small hands 54 travel to theeight-dollar mark on the outer series of graduations 74.

It has been mentioned above that the lower series of graduations on theratescale-plates 70 maybe omitted, and it is obvious that this is truein all cases in which it may only be desired to use the one series ofgraduations 73 and one series of graduations 75 on the in dicating-dials52; butI consider it convenient to employ the two sets of numerals onthe rate scale-plates 70 and the two sets of indicating-numerals on theindicating-dials ,52, since by reason thereof the scales are given amaxim um capacity with the minim um amount of shifting action in theindicating-dial casing 50. In instances in which it is not desired,however, to use the double set of indicating-numerals on the dials 52the said rate scale-plates 70 may be elongated to increase theircapacity beyond the extent indicated in the drawings and the slot 2.5 inthe top of the casing 22 correspondingly elongated, so as to permit of amore extended shifting movement of the indicating-dial casing 50 inaccordance with the then length of the rate scale-plates 7 0. It wouldseem that the operation of the esasvs scales made the subject of thisapplication may be sufficiently understood from the fore goingdescription without further detailed explanation. The operation may,however, be very briefly summed up. The attendant or operator Will,knowing the price per pound of the merchandise to be sold, shift theindicating-dial casing 50 and rack-bar member it along the ratescale-plates 70 to the proper position denoting such per-pound price,and thereupon he Will place the merchandise upon the platform and thenmove the weightpoise 16 along the beam 15 to determine the number ofpounds and fractions thereof in said merchandise. The merchandise havingbeen weighed upon the platform 20, the attendant or operator need simplyread the total price for such merchandise from the indicating dial ordials 52. The shifting of the i11- 2odicating-dial casing 50 results inthe movement of the vertical rack-bar member 4 ito the correct positionwith relation to the pivotpoint 41 of the lever-bar40, and the movementof the weight-poise 16 along its beam results in the slide-bar 29 beingcarried to the proper position along the lower edge 46 of the leverbar4'0 to effect the proper clevat ion of the vertical raclebar it to drivethe indicating-lmnds 5a to their proper position to represent in dollarsand cents the total price to be charged for the merchandise.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In computing or price scales, the weightbeam, the weight-poisethereon, and the indicating-dial having a hand and series of graduationsalong which the said hand may travel, combined with means for actuatingsaid hand and operable from and by the movement of said weight-poisealong its beam, said dial and its parts being adapted to be shifted tocontrol the extent of travel of said hand inaccordanoe with the priceper pound of the merchandise to be Weighed; substantially as set forth.1

2. In computing or price scales, the weightbeam, the Weight-poisethereon, and the indicating-dial having a hand and series of graduationsalong which said hand may travel, combined with a series of graduationsforming the rate-per-pound scale, a pointer movable with said dial totravel along said rate-scale to guide the operator, and meansfor'aetnating said hand and operable from and by the movement of saidweight-poise along its beam, said dial and its parts being adapted to beshifted in position in accordance with, the per-pound rate and therebycontrol the extent of travel of said hand; substantially as set forth.

3. In computing or price scales, the weightbeam, the weightpoisethereon, the totalprice-denoting dial independent of said poise andadapted to be moved to various positions in accordance with theper-pound prices, and the hand or pointer for said dial, combined withmeans intermediate said poise and said hand for imparting motion to saidhand from and by the movement of said poise, the extent of such motionbeing governed by the position of said dial; substantially as set forth.

4. In computing or price scales, the weightbeam, the Weight-poisethereon, the double series of graduations forming the upper and lowerrate-per-pound scale, the total-price-denoting dial adapted to be movedto the various positions in accordance with the perpound prices andhaving the inner and outer series of graduations, the hand or pointeradapted to travel along both said series of graduations, and thepointers movable with said dial for use in connection with saidratescale to guide the operator in moving said dial, combined with meansintermediate said poise and said hand for imparting motion to said handfrom and by the movement of said poise, the extent of such motion beinggoverned by the position of said dial; substantially as set forth.

5. In computing or price scales, the Weightbeam, the Weight-poisethereon, the rate-perpound graduation or scale, the total-price-denotingdial adapted to be shifted or moved to the various positions inaccordance with the per-pound prices and having the inner and outercircles of cent and dollar graduations respectively, and the hands orpointers to respectively travel along said circles of cent anddollargradnations, combined with means intermediate said poise and handsfor imparting motion to said hands from and by the movement of saidpoise, the extent of such motion being governed by the position of saiddial, and said hands with their graduations being respectively to denotethe total prices based on the per-pound prices at different portions ofsaid rate-scale; substantially as set forth.

(5. In computing or price scales, the weightbeam, the Weight-poisethereon, indicating dial mechanism having an actuating member, and amovable member connected with the Weight-poise so as to move therewith,combined With an intermediate member between said actuating member andsaid movable member and adapted to transmit the action of the latter tosaid actuating member, said dial mechanism and actuating member beingadjustable along said intermediate member to control the extent of theaction of the latter on said dial mechanism; substantially as set forth.

7. In computing or price scales, the weightbeam, the Weight-poisethereon, the totalprice-denoting dial independent of said poise andadapted to be moved on a line parallel With the said Weight-beam tovarious posi tions in accordance with the per-pound prices, and the handor pointer for said dial, combined With means intermediate said poiseand said hand for imparting motion to said hand from and by the movementof said poise, the extent of such motion being governed by the positionof said dial; substantially as set forth.

8. In computing or price scales, the weightbeam, the weight-poisethereon, indicating dial mechanism having an actuating member, and amovable member connected with the weight-poise so as to move therewith,combined with an intermediate pivoted member between said actuatingmember and said movable member and adapted to transmit the action of thelatter to said actuating member,

said dial mechanism and actuating memberbeing adjustable along saidintermediate member to control the extent of the action of the latter onsaid dial mechanism; substantially as set forth.

9. In computing or price scales, the weightbeam, the weight-poisethereon, indicatingdial mechanism having an actuating member, and amovable member connected with the weight-poise so as to move therewith,combined with the yielding intermediate member having thelongitudinally-curved surface and disposed between said actuating memberand said movable member and adapted to transmit theaction of the latterto said actuating member, said dial mechanism and actuating member beingadjustable along said intermediate member to control the extent of theaction of the latter on said dial mechanism; substantially as set forth.

10. In computing orprice scales, the Weightbeam, the Weight-poisethereon, indicatingdial mechanism having an actuating member, and amovable member connected with the weight-poise so as to move therewith,combined with the pivoted intermediate member having a tramway to engagesaid actuating memberand provided with the longitudinallycurved surfaceto be engaged by said movable member for operating said actuatingmember, said dial mechanism and actuating member being adjustable alongsaid intermediate member to control the extent of the action of thelatteron said dial mechanism; substantially as set forth.

11. In computing orprice scales, the weightbeam, the weight-poisethereon, and the indicating-dial mechanism comprising the series ofgraduations and the hand therefor, combined with an operating-barintermediate said poise and said hand and having thelongitudinally-curved surface, means for actuating said bar during themovement of said poise, and means for transmitting the motion of saidbar to said hand, said longitudinally-curved surface being utilized tosecure a uniform motion to said hand during the travel of said poise;substantially as set forth.

12. In computing or price scales, the weightbeam, the Weight-poisethereon, indicating dial mechanism having the vertical-rack-baractuatingmember provided with a roller on its lower end, and a movable orslide-bar member connected with the weight-poise so as to move therewithand provided with an upWardly-projecting roller, combined with thelever-bar intermediate member having on its side the tramway for theroller of said actuating member and on its lower edge thelongitudinally-curved surface for said roller of said movable member,said dial mechanism and actuating member being adjustable along saidintermediate member to control the extent of the action of the latter onsaid dial mechanism; substantially as set forth.

13. In computing price-scales, the weightbeam, the weight-poise thereon,and the indicating-dial mechanism, combined with means intermediate saidpoise and said indicating mechanism for actuating the latter by andduring the movement of said poise, and comprising the pivoted armsindependent of said poise and having the finger-pieces, the springintermediate said arms to normally keep the lower ends of said armsclosed together, the stop intermediate the upper ends of said arms toprevent said ends from closing unduly under manual pressure, and theflanges on said poise receiving between them the lower ends of saidarms; substantially as set forth.

Signed at Arlington, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, this 25th day of February, A. D. 1901.

ELIJAH F. SPAULDING. lVitnesses:

A. B. UPHAM, W. W. HARRIS.

